Field
Exemplary embodiments relate to a display substrate, and a method of fabricating the same. More particularly, exemplary embodiments relate to a display substrate, and a method of fabricating the same, which implements a narrow bezel by additionally forming a direct contact part (D-CNT) while maintaining five mask (M) processes utilized for fabricating the display substrate used in a liquid crystal display device in a horizontal field, also known as Plane to Line Switching (PLS), mode as they are.
Discussion of the Background
In general, a liquid crystal display device includes a display substrate including a switching element and a pixel electrode, an opposing substrate opposite to the display substrate, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the display substrate and the opposing substrate. The liquid crystal display device displays an image in a method of applying a voltage to the liquid crystal layer and controlling transmittance of light.
The liquid crystal display device may be divided into a vertical field mode liquid crystal display device and a horizontal field mode liquid crystal display device according to a direction of the electric field.
Recently, the liquid crystal display device operating in the vertical field mode shows a wide viewing angle problem, which results in active development of the horizontal-field-mode liquid crystal display. Particularly, researchers try to reduce manufacturing cost of a liquid crystal display device operated in a Plane to Line Switching (PLS) mode, which is an example of the horizontal field mode.
The display substrate includes a plurality of thin film patterns formed by patterning a thin film formed on an insulating substrate through a photolithography process. Each of the thin film patterns may be formed by forming a photoresist pattern on the thin film, and etching the thin film by using the photoresist pattern as an etching preventing film. The photolithography process may be performed by dry etching or wet etching according to a property of the thin film. When the thin film includes metal, the thin film may generally be patterned by using an etchant composition, and when the thin film is an insulating layer including a silicon oxide and the like, the thin film may generally be patterned by using etching gas.
In general, one mask is required to form one thin film pattern. However, recently, in order to minimize use of a high-priced mask or simplify a process, one mask may form two or more thin film patterns. Although one mask is used, the different thin films require different etching process depending on the thin film properties. So it is impossible to substantially reduce the process steps.
In this respect, the present application discloses a method for forming a direct contact part (D-CNT) pattern. This can achieve a narrow bezel, while keeping five (5) mask processes.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the inventive concept, and, therefore, it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.